Abrasive blasting

Blasting forever a thing of the past with the power tools from MontiPower

The use of abrasives is a technique that has been used for many years for cleaning and processing different types of surfaces. This may include removing rust, lacquer or other layers that cover a surface. Although abrasives have been used for many years, this method also has its drawbacks. These disadvantages are a thing of the past with the power tools from MontiPower. But how does cleaning and processing with blasting media actually work? Moreover, what are those drawbacks? And how do MontiPower’s power tools serve as an alternative?

What is blasting?

Abrasives are often used to clean, treat or process different types of surfaces – such as steel or other metals. There are different types of techniques that can be used for this. Traditionally, sandblasting has been the most commonly used method of blasting. Over the years, more and more different techniques are available that replace sandblasting. Think of blasting with, for example, steel grit, glass or plastic. Broadly speaking, all these ways of blasting work in the same way. The blasting media, in combination with air, is blasted onto the object with great force. Due to the impact of the media, the layer gets removed from the surface. This not only cleans the object, but also creates a structure in the surface, which can serve as an adhesive layer for a new coating.

The most well-known blasting technique: ‘sandblasting’

Sandblasting is one of the best known techniques when it comes to cleaning with an abrasive media. The use of abrasives during blasting creates a grinding effect, which can remove rust, mill scale, lacquer and other coatings from the surface. As mentioned, sandblasting has traditionally been one of the best known and most widely used techniques. However, the use of sand in blast cleaning is decreasing further and further. This is due to the dangers and other drawbacks of sandblasting, which have increasingly come to light over the years. In some countries, including the Netherlands, it is even forbidden to blast with sand because of the dangers.

Blasting: the dangers and safety

Due to the persistent effect of abrasive ‘sandblasting’, it was for many years the most popular and most used method of blasting. However, research showed that ‘sandblasting’ is harmful for the health of humans and animals. Due to the great force with which sand is blasted onto the surface, these sand grains break down into minuscule pieces. The particles are so small that they can easily be inhaled, causing respiratory and other health problems. The results of the research into the dangers of using sand resulted in a ban on blasting with sand in many countries.

Alternative blasting tools: The Bristle Blaster® and MBX®

The Bristle Blaster® and MBX® from MontiPower are the new developments in the field of surface preparation. Due to the specially developed technology with patented brushes, the power tools are the perfect alternatives for the existing blasting equipment. With the use of the Bristle Blaster® and MBX® from MontiPower, blasting with different types of loose abrasives is a thing of the past. The tools are easy to use, are – unlike blasting – completely safe and very effective. Not only in cleaning surfaces, but also in processing them. With their impact, the brushes of the power tools create a profile on the surface that can be compared to the adhesive layer that is created after blasting. In this way, MontiPower tools are the ideal alternative to sandblasting.

How do MontiPower abrasive brushes work?

The Bristle Blaster® and MBX® from MontiPower are hand-operated tools, which are equipped with a rotating brush. These specially designed brushes are characterized by their tips with curved ends. By rotating the brushes, the different types of surfaces are processed and cleaned easily, quickly and effectively. The curved tips of the brushes play an important role in this. These points are held back for a very short time during the rotation of the Bristle Blaster Brush by the so-called ‘accelerator bar’. Due to this short interruption, the points – partly due to the high speed at which the brush rotates – are released with great power from behind the accelerator bar. This technique ensures that the curved tips of the brushes are immediately retracted upon contact with the surface, effectively cleaning the surface and also providing it with the characteristic micro-structure. It makes MontiPower tools the ideal surface preparation method for many sectors.

Alternative to abrasive blasting in different sectors

With their many advantages, the power tools ensure that they are the ideal alternative to cleaning with abrasive blasting for many markets. As mentioned, the traditional ways of blasting can be harmful to humans and animals, but also damaging for the environment. It makes the Bristle Blaster® and MBX® from MontiPower, among other things, an excellent alternative for surface preparation in the maritime and industrial sector. In addition, the convenience and effectiveness of the various power tools play an important role in many sectors. A good example of this is the work in public infrastructure. The blasting of bridges, tracks and highways, among other things, is a very time-consuming and labor-intensive job, which is subject to a lot of pressure because of the time. When blasting these objects, workers are also exposed to various small particles and possible chemicals. With the use of the Bristle Blaster® and MBX® from MontiPower, this is a thing of the past. It makes MontiPower tools the perfect solution and alternative to cleaning with abrasives in many sectors due to, among other things, the possibility to remove dust and loose particles.